Beloved Dare
by HottPinkWitch
Summary: Hermione and Draco - just enemies...right? But what happens when Draco is dared to seduce her? And what happens when he agrees to it?
1. Chapter 1 or how it all began

Chapter one, or How it All Began The Granger Residence 

"Mom!" Hermione yelled. It was the last day of the summer holidays and the letters from Hogwarts had finally arrived. Hermione raced down the newly polished oak stairs down into the living room. An odd smell of paint reached her nose. Her mother was standing next to a wall and covering it in a light pink color.

"I'm Head Girl!" she exclaimed brandishing her badge and waving it in front of her mothers face.

"Oh, that's wonderful dear!" cried her mother, at once abandoning the wall she was painting and advancing to stand near Hermione. "That's my girl," she smiled and patted her daughter on the head.

At the same time in… Malfoy Manor 

Draco gazed at his badge for a second and popped it back in the envelope. He glanced around his room, surprisingly bare, except for a writing desk, bed, and a bedside cabinet. In a corner of his room stood a dusty trophy cabinet, and through its dusty glass doors could be barely seen a pillow with his only prized possession, his prefect badge. The young Malfoy rose from his bed and trudged up the stairs to his fathers study. His father was absorbed in writing what seemed to be a very long letter.

"I have been elected Head Boy father," said Draco.

"I shall never praise you if you only do what is expected of you son. Don't trouble me with stupid notices such as these again," drawled Lucius Malfoy irritably, merely glancing at his son and then resuming to bend over his letter.

"Yes father," agreed Draco involuntarily and went back down to his room.

Platform 9 3/4 

"Harry, Ron!" Hermione squealed. She ran across the platform to hug her two best friends finally seeing them for the first time after a long summer. She was so glad to see it all again, platform nine and three quarters, Hogwarts Express puffing up big balls of steam.

"Hermione, how are you?" asked Harry, then gazing down at the 'Head Girl' badge gleaming on her robes, added, "I see good." They laughed. It was good hearing her two friends laugh again, oh how she missed them these holidays, when her parents had forced her to spend her summer with the family.

"Do you know who's Head Boy? After all I have to share living quarters with him." She asked with concern. Hermione looked searchingly around the platform as though hoping to see something gold and gleaming pinned to the front of somebody's robes.

"Oh." Chorused Ron and Harry clearly not wanting to get Hermione's wrong side too early in the morning.

"Don't want to get your spirits down but – "

"Ahem," As each of the friends turned to look at the intruder in their conversation, their faces absorbed a look of disgust. "You've got it right mudblood, Head Boy – me." Spat Malfoy, "and you better be appreciate it, it's not every day that someone like you gets to hang out with a pure blood," he added.

"Mudblood – kill – him - Hermione – doesn't deserve – beat – him – up," Forced Ron out of himself through clenched teeth, apparently being strangled by Harry who was trying to keep him from jumping on Malfoy.

"See you later, Granger," said Malfoy, and disappeared behind a door in the train marked 'Head Boy and Girl'.

"NO!" screamed Hermione, "and I am supposed to take THAT all year round? What was Professor Dumbledore thinking?" Harry and Ron were looking at her with pity.

"Well I'd better be going," sighed Hermione, "Better pay a visit to his majesty, the pure-blood," she said in a mocking voice.

"See you," uttered Harry and Ron sulkily, as they parted each leaving to a different compartment.

_At the same time in a different compartment. _

Pansy Parkinson had made a final attempt to win over Draco's heart. As Draco opened the compartment door, he looked at her in awe. He proceeded to sit next to Crabbe and Goyle continuing to stare at the thing as his face changed from a look of surprise, to disgust. She was wearing extra short and tight robes revealing much of her short and fat legs. At the sight of Draco she had made a leap upwards running forth to hug her idol. He stopped her with a gesture of his hand suggesting he would rather eat Neville's toad.

"Seriously Parkinson, I can have any girl in this school, you really think I'm going to waste my time on you?" Snapped Malfoy wiping the smile of Pansies face.

"Any girl is it?" grunted Goyle enviously. The look Malfoy gave him was one of great surprise 'so, the toad shall talk and stand up to me now? Really I was fine with having him blend in with the atmosphere,' thought Malfoy.

"Any," persisted Malfoy with an I'd-like-to-see-you-try kind of look on his face.

"Well then, if it's _any _girl," smirked Crabbe, "I think that one would be a piece of cake." He said pointing outside the compartment door. Hermiones bushy hair, untamed as a wild tiger usually, and today surprisingly more so swayed in the wind as she walked past Crabbes and Goyles compartment. "In fact," added Goyle, "I can bet my pocket-money you can't have that one kiss you of her own free will." Goyle looked surprised at his own cleverness, while Malfoy-put out.

"You can add my allowance in that as well," grinned Crabbe.

"Sure. The bet is on. I'll proceed to my own compartment now," breathed Malfoy wondering how he was going to get out of this one.

'The filthy mudblood, a Malfoy actually looking at her in a way other than disgust is a betrayal to the family. Stupid, pathetic know-it-all Granger,' Malfoy muttered to himself as he proceeded down the corridor to the Head Boy & Girl compartment.

He came in, and absorbed in his thoughts, was relieved to find it empty. 15 minutes later, Hermione backed into the compartment door, absorbed in a book, she merely glanced at Malfoy, and plunged into her book again. Malfoy, clearly not expecting such a lack of interest looked quite put out. Then, just as he was going to fall into complete despair, he suddenly got an idea, and silently marveled at it.

Hermione was still reading her thick volume entitled " Arithmetic's: your favorite subject."

'…These come from an ancient way of cross-multiplying that dates back to the Incas. The many…' she was distracted by a loud sound of singing. Leveling her eyes with the tops of the book, she gave an astonished squeak. Malfoy was folding his shirt, which was obviously not on his muscular stomach anymore and yelling out random verses of a new hit from "The Weird Sisters".

"And what do you think you are doing?" asked Hermione in a strict tone, not letting her eyes slip past his face.

"Changing," said Draco matter-of-factly, "what, are you going to punish naughty Drakie for changing?" he mocked in a low voice, getting into a what he assumed was a sexier position.

"No, absolutely not," choked Hermione once again drowning in her book.

' Serves her right,' thought Draco, 'but she wont come without a little more work… well after all I _am_ Draco Malfoy, and I am certainly up for a challenge…'


	2. Chapter2:The one where Hermione's a girl

**Chapter 2 where Malfoy figures Hermione is a girl.**

* * *

The feast started later than usual that day, some of the first-years had fallen into the lake on the trip to Hogwarts, and by the time they were fished out, many of the students had rumbling stomachs and were angrily declaring that they hadn't eaten since morning. Hermione and Draco had a bit of work to do, first separating two toads that had been magically enchanted to swell to the size of large monkeys, and then fight each other to the supportive yells of the two owners, then shooing Peeves away as he started the usual circus.

"Thanks," muttered Hermione as Malfoy rescued her from three second-year students who were enchanting vases and making them fly across the hall. He looked at her amusingly,

"What would you do without me Granger?" asked Malfoy gallantly. They parted as it became obvious (by the increasing amount of wet students) that the feast was now beginning.

When everyone was well fed, and students started to rise, Ron called Hermione back.

"Hermione, if Malfoy will start causing trouble, just tell me, OK? Because if he hurts you, I really will kill him," he started what looked like a well-prepared speech.

"No Ron, really it's OK, I won't let him hurt me," assured him Hermione smiling. She glanced at the huge door leading out of the hall and the thousands of students milling near the entrance, then her eyes fell on Dumbledore, who stood up from the Staff Table, and was motioning to herself and Draco to come up to him. She went obediently, and looked searchingly up to Dumbledore.

'Please let them change the rules, don't make me live with him please please, don't make me live with that horrible Malfoy…' she thought desperately.

"Now as you know, you are going to be in charge of everything this year,' he began, " and don't think that I put you two together for no reason, it's time Slytherin and Gryffindor houses made it up with each other."

"Yea right we're going to make it up," muttered Hermione and Draco in unison.

"Now now, let's not get off with a bad start," Dumbledore said disapprovingly, "I'm sure you two will be great friends." At this point Draco gave an involuntary grunt, and exclaimed:

"We understand professor, can we just get on with it then?" After an awkward silence Dumbledore seemed to have found himself again and said,

"Alas, I almost forgot, the password to your new rooms is 'fellytone', proceed to the main entrance, take a right turn, and go up three floors. Then you shall see a door, with 2 indentations, stick your Head Boy and Girl badges in, and say the password, you shall now be able to enter your new rooms."

As they entered their common room, their mouths dropped open. It was the most beautiful room they both had ever seen: velvet curtains, golden-framed pictures, a lovely fire, a few comfortable sofas and everything romantically lit with hundreds of candles.

"All this romance… stupid…" frowned Malfoy after he had recovered from the awe that had filled him when seeing the beautiful room. With a flick of a wand, the candles disappeared and he had filled it with normal daylight. Hermione pretended she didn't notice, and she gathered her things to go to her room, through a magnificent door adorned with a red and gold tapestry.

"Goodnight Granger," Draco mumbled after her, but Hermione didn't hear.

Hermione slept well that night, and awoke quite early, so she decided to have a shower. When she stepped into the bathroom she could hardly contain her glee, it was so beautiful: rose petals lay on the floor, and there was floor heating. The sinks were lined with gleaming jewels, and the bath was absolutely gorgeous, tons of little bottles with aromatic bath bubbles stood on a cabinet near it, and about 50 different gels with the weirdest instructions written on the back.

She finally settled on a blue one, finding it quite pleasant, little bubbles sprang out of it, and she only had to say what she wanted, they would automatically change shape into the desired item. On the start of the second hour, she heard a loud rap on the door, from Malfoy's side of the room.

"Granger, have you evaporated in there? Or do I still have a chance to curse you? Get a move on!" she heard Draco's muffled voice outside the door. She blushed furiously realizing how long she'd been in there, wrapped her towel around herself, and hurriedly ran out… into the wrong room.

"Oh…" she blushed even more, and slowly looked at Malfoy. Such a surprised look she had never seen on his face, and then she saw him looking down past her face… down…

"MALFOY!" He jerkily snapped his head back up to her face.

"What? Forgot I was a girl, or are you just checking if they're still there?" She asked furiously, and marched out of his room, into the bathroom, and into her own room again.

"What has gotten into me?" thought Malfoy, "I definitely know I'm not into Granger… how can I be? It's **muggleborn** Granger, no I hate her, it's all her fault… yes it's all her fault" he calmed himself down and exited his room.

* * *

A/N Like always R&R - Constructive critisism is always welcome! I promise some more action in later chapters! 


	3. Chapter 3: The one with the photo

Chapter 3 the chapter with Hermione's photo

"Hermione, what's the matter? Had a bad night with Malfoy?" grinned Harry as Hermione walked into the Great Hall with a tired look on her face, and in a horrible mood. She settled on some ham and butter as she began the tale called, "The Horrible Malfoy, and All His Horrible Doings."

"Oh don't, you have no idea what I've been through with him," she complained loudly. Ginny did not respond but grinned, hugged Seamus tightly and planted a kiss on his cheek. Seamus whispered in her ear and Ginny grinned,

"Will you excuse us for a minute?" she asked with a strange smile on her face.

"Yea, sure," moaned Hermione flailing her arms helplessly at all the people unwilling to share her feelings about Malfoy.

"I can curse him if you want," suggested Ron hopefully.

"No, then he'll take it all out on me when I'm alone," she said in a dreading tone, "Come on, we'll be late for Transfiguration, and we have an exam today."

Transfiguration class, before – hard, now in seventh year – super hard. Slytherin and Gryffindor sat in class, watching how professor McGonagall turns Ron into a soup bowl and back again. Goyle was showing Malfoy a new photo of the whole class, photo-Harry was long fighting with Malfoy, and photo-Crabbe and Goyle were sitting around with stupid looks on there faces and prodding a toad with their wands.

"And now, your promised exam on transfiguration of food," announced McGonagall as the class groaned, all except Hermione who squealed excitedly.

'What is this?' thought Malfoy while distractedly scanning page three of the test based on carrot sticks. Then, trying a muggle way of cheating for the first time, looked down at his robes where a cheat sheet was hidden. While barely managing to read the miniscule writing written on a teeny piece of parchment, he didn't notice professor McGonagall scanning his row with a suspicious look in her eyes.

"What is this Malfoy? You know perfectly well that I've been through everything in my time, and you might have made it at least less noticeable to show some respect," she said sourly through thin lips, "What's that you've got there?" Goyle rapidly opened his bag, and grabbed the class photo, then he ripped a piece of it off, and thrust it into Malfoy's lap. Malfoy covered his sheet with haste just as McGonagall walked up to his desk. She grabbed the piece of photo with her bony hands, and took it up to her desk. Then she glanced at it for the first time, her face changed from a strict expression to one of confusement and utter amazement.

"Granger?" she said strictly, working well to hide her amusement, as Hermione raised her head just slightly to see what was going on. The whole class was sniggering now, and many stood up from their wooden desks, craning their necks to see what was going on.

"Malfoy, why do you have a photo of Granger under your desk?" Goyle flailed under the look of utter hatred Malfoy gave him.

'Of all the people who he could have ripped out of that damned photo, it had to be the mudblood!' he thought angrily.

"Ooh, maybe he fancies you," suggested Ginny while they were eating dinner and discussing the day's events.

"Malfoy! Fancies **me**? I think not, think of all the horrible things we've ever said or done to each other. NO! And I mean no! There is absolutely no way for that to happen." She said, perhaps a little too seriously.

"Yeah," agreed Ginny, "I forgot how much you guys hate each other". She finished her steak and kidney pie, and stood up from the table. "Coming Hermione?" she asked, and the two girls left the great hall and proceeded to the stairs. There, quite a crowd gathered, Ginny and Hermione crept to the inside circle, and finally saw Malfoy and his friends standing and laughing openly. Draco was holding his wand out and a silver string was erupting out of it. Following the string, in the middle of the circle, high above everyone's heads was a miniature figure of Hermione. He twirled the figure which made her robes go up, and then with a flick, the figure completely showed its underclothes by flipping upside down and its robes falling down.

Hermione was watching her eyes slowly filling up with tears, then not being able to bear it anymore, she ran out of the crowd who was madly roaring with laughter, and ran up the stairs to her room. There, she flung herself on her bed and cried tears full of hurt and embarrassment. Soon she fell asleep and didn't notice how Malfoy came in her room and looked at her for quite some time, then idled into his own and closed the door behind him.

Draco awoke very suddenly and glancing at the clock found that it was midnight. Not quite understanding what had awoke him, he decided to proceed into the common room. The fire was lit, and right in front of it lay Hermione with dried up tears on her face, sleeping soundly. Malfoy sighed and went to sit in one of the cozy armchairs, thinking to himself,

"Not a good start if I want to get her onto my side for the dare. Anyway, I don't even know why I did that, just for fun. The thing is, I really didn't feel any fun in that. No, no I really have to have a personality check some time, Granger, enemy… yes, I must tell myself that.' At that moment Hermione stirred, and Draco alarmingly turned his gaze on her. She sat up from her 'bed' and looked around the room surprised at being in the given location.

"Why am I here?" She asked surprised, and not waiting for an answer got up and crossed the room swaying slightly. Now she stood up, Draco could see an empty bottle of Butterbeer on the rug behind her.

'_That's strange, she shouldn't be so drunk after one bottle… Something's not right here…' _Draco thought.

"Honey!" she squealed spotting Malfoy. She ran stretching her arms out making the motion to hug him, tripped, and fell on him. Startlingly close, they gazed in each others eyes. Hermione leaned in and pushed herself away from the ground.

"I'm going nighty-nighty. Bye bye Draco!"

'_Who did this to her?' _He thought guiltily hoping that it wasn't because of his stupid pranks.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 or The Chapter with Lucius Malfoy.

_She was beautiful, sand was in her hair and she was dancing to Arabic music shaking her hips. A gleaming skirt was on her, one of the Asian ones with metal coins on it, so it rang as she danced again and again. Her expression was full of desire, her eyes never looked so extravagant, exotic and full of longing. And she was dancing in the sand, and sundown, near the sea. She put her hand on his shoulder and stopped dancing, the music kept going. The sun so dim they could barely see each other, and she leaned in pushing his head towards her. They were so close, so close, and then her lips touched his… _

"AAaaaa," Malfoy sat up in his bed sweating tremendously and looked around. There was Granger sitting on the edge of his bed looking at him with a worried look on her face.

"Granger? What are you doing in here?" he looked at her suspiciously, wondering what on earth the goodie-two-shoes Gryffindor was doing sitting on a Slytherin's bed.

"Oh, me!" she stammered, blushing. Actually she wanted to stomp into his room and declare that he is the meanest prat she'd ever seen, but seeing him asleep, sweating and mumbling her name, she cautiously sat on his black and green serpentine bed.

"I just… got lost," was all she could think of.

"Well next time I'll draw you a map, and now if you excuse me, I'd like to get out of bed without you being there to watch me." He declared angrily.

"Oh… right," she clumsily got off his bed and shyly walked across his room. Looking back at him she lost her balance and fell forward on her face. Draco jumped out of his bed immediately and went to see if she was ok, obviously revealing much of his fine body and silky black boxers. Upon seeing she was ok and then seeing her eyes wander all over his stomach in amazement he rapidly got up and covered himself with his bath robe.

"GO!" he urged her impatiently.

"Yes… yes… I'll go" she blushed if it was possible, even more and staggered out of the door.

"Herms?" asked Ron cautiously noticing not for the first time that day, that Hermione was in some distant place and absolutely no where near the snow-filled courtyard in front of Hogwarts.

"Yea?" she asked distractedly, still staring at one point in the snow as though there was something there worth looking at. Her gaze slid past the snow and then at the crowd of people from 7th year who decided to get some fresh air. Suddenly, the crowd of 7th years gathered in the courtyard parted. Professor Dumbledore was hurriedly walking towards the trio: Hermione, Harry and Ron.

"Ms. Granger, may you please some with me?" he asked politely, and she nodded wondering what on earth made the wrinkles on professors face look even more old, and why he looked so troubled.

"I'd like to ask you for a favor, Ms.Granger. It is a busy season for Madame Pomfrey, and she needs a hand with one of the patients. I know you are excellent at healing, so do you mind giving her a hand?"

"No, absolutely not professor. When should I be there?"

"Oh, see that's the actual 'favor' part of it ahem… right now?"

"But professor, right now I have class!" she protested thinking of how Snape was going to react to her late work.

"Yes, well I promise, just one week. I shall notify your teachers. Thank you, have a nice day." He said quickly, and with a swish of a cloak, he was already far away, walking up the steps of the castle.

"But… but…" Hermione stammered, and then thinking there was no way out, went in the direction of the hospital wing.

"Malfoy? What happened to you?" she asked awkwardly when first seeing who her patient was going be. She sat down next to him on the bed and looked at him for a long time. His face was unrecognizable, bruises were all over it, and a deep gash was situated on his cheek. His eyes were swollen and his nose looked broken.

"Please…something… eases pain…" he strained. At once she conducted a series of simple spells healing his cuts a bit and then went and got him some skelegro for his nose. Finally he was breathing evenly and forced a smile out of his pale face.

"Thanks," he breathed. With her hand, she brushed his hair back, so she could see his cuts clearer (he finally stopped using hair gel), and started working on those. It was obvious he was in great pain; he kept wincing every time she touched his face, and she suddenly saw how much he was shaking. It was as though he was in the North Pole with nothing but a T-Shirt on, however soon, two massive blankets were covering him, and still he was shaking uncontrollably. He tried to say something, but his voice was barely a whisper, so he signaled for her to lean in. She cautiously lowered her head to hear what he had to say.

"Thank you, I may have not had the power to hold back my pride and do what you did for me," he managed to say in between sharp intakes of breath. She nodded, smiling, and sat back up. Then she carefully, straightened his hair in a gentle way as not to hurt him, and Malfoy apparently touched by such warmth from his former enemy looked at her in amusement.

But soon, his eyelids drooped, and he fell into a deep, deep sleep, and his nurse, exhausted by the amount of magic she had to exert that evening, lay down in the bed beside him, and also entered the land of dreams.

She did not know how long she lay there, but when she woke up, it was already past noon. Panicking that she had missed school, she got up and quietly tiptoed to the door. Just as she reached for the handle, she heard a moan and unwillingly pulled back.

"No… Granger…stay," she heard from behind Draco's bed curtain, then after a pause, "please." She walked back to his bed and carefully asked:

"Can I draw the curtain?"

"Yes," came the answer. Upon drawing the curtain, she happily realized that he looked a lot better today. He wasn't as pale, and his cuts were almost healed.

"Granger, that night with the… making fun of you, I'm really sorry. You did all these things for me, and I… I acted as my usual self," he looked at her straining a smile, as though he wasn't used to his face being in this position. She smiled at him widely, and he suddenly felt a tingling sensation run down his spine.

It was in the night when the flashbacks began. Draco was seeing the most horrible dream he'd ever seen – but the worst, was that it was true.

_The man who was standing in front of him, made Draco shudder at the very thought of seeing him. He never experienced love to the man, or for that matter, any other kind of feeling except for hatred. Every long, blond hair on his head made him tingle with fear and hate. Every word the man uttered made him want to go in hiding and never see the world again. The man, who was standing in front of him, was none other than his own father. And then, the man's high-pitched, screeching, accusing voice cut into the winter air. _

"_You, son, have lately caused me much trouble," he accused, "Do you not respect the family?"_

"_I do father," Draco tried hard to answer in an even voice. _

"_Do you know what an honor it is to be part of the Malfoy family?" _

"_I do father," he answered, his voice wobbling. _

"_And are you part, of this family?" _

"_I am father." _

"_Well then, you smart boy, you must know why our family is SO pure… because we don't lower ourselves to the level of MUDBLOODS!" he spat, "And do you know what BETRAYAL to the family is?" _

"_Yes father," answered Malfoy. _

"_WELL that's what you did Draco, you BETRAYED our family, by SOCIALIZING WITH A MUDBLOOD, you are not my son, you are just FILTH," he roared striking him hard across the face, as Draco fell back and then…all dissolved in darkness. _


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 "In the Forest".

A week later…

Hermione woke up late, and went down to breakfast in a hurry. She felt proud of herself, finally, Malfoy was out of the hospital wing, and it was all thanks to her. She met with two of the trio, and together the made their way down to the great hall. She settled at their table, saluting Ginny and Seamus, who were sitting together, arm in arm, and choosing some bacon and eggs to start off her day. Then, the usual routine of swooping owls into the hall started. Suddenly, Hermione's breakfast splattered over the table, an owl made bad landing on her plate. In its beak was a single note, folded tightly into a little ball. She cautiously unfolded the note and read its contents.

'_Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy, it is my duty to inform you that at 7 o'clock you are expected to proceed to the edge of the forbidden forest to discuss a special assignment I shall give to replace the big amount of work you missed due to Mr. Malfoy's illness. _

_Professor Snape' _

Wondering what on earth they could do in the forbidden forest that had to do with potions, Hermione stood up from the table and went to get her bag, with her head full of worries about the up coming day.

At seven, she went out of Hogwarts, and into the Hogwarts grounds. Snow was everywhere, and Hagrid's pumpkins looked like massive snowballs. In the distance, the trees of the Forbidden Forest swayed dangerously and apart from them, darkness was all that could be seen. There, she saw Draco and started towards him. His hair swayed in the breeze, and even from such distance, she could clearly see his piercing blue eyes. As always, black robes drastically contrasted with his pale face, with small scratches in the places on his cheek where his cuts had been.

She waved to him, and he merely nodded (apparently now being out of the hospital, and no longer requiring Hermione's help, he had changed back into his usual self, no smile, just the trademark smirk, and the "we're back to being just Granger the muggleborn, and Malfoy the pureblood" attitude.)

As she came closer she could see his features more distinctly, those long eyelashes, and the serious

face. She joined him and together, they made their way down, past Hagrid's cabin and to the edge of the forest.

"Where do you think he is?" It's not like Snape isn't punctual, it's nearly a miracle that he didn't come on time," wondered Hermione.

"I don't know. Anyway, why did he tell us to come _here_? It's not like there's anything in the forbidden forest that's to do with potions," replied Draco in a bored voice.

"Maybe he's in there just he forgot to mention exactly where we're supposed to meet,' she suggested, gesturing towards the darkness inside the forest.

"Yea, let's go in," he agreed and they stepped into the forest, minding their step so as not to trip on a root in the dark. It was very dark inside and even thought the presence of the fireflies made it more welcoming and even romantic, Draco felt shivers ran up his spine. Of course in no way was he going to show this weakness to his enemy, so he boldly went first and guided her further and further into the forest.

All of a sudden, Hermione lost her footing and fell over, trying to hold onto Draco, but eventually pulling him down as well. He fell on top of her, and suddenly they felt being pulled to each other. They realized they were enemies, and they also realized they were just a few centimeters apart. Apparently such a mixture proves to be quite effective, Draco leaned in, and a swarm of nearby fireflies enlightened his face. Now, so close he could count the number of eyelashes on her eyes, or even kiss her, he chose the second. His lips, moist with zeal and excitement, touched hers and her eyelids fluttered shut. Hermione felt his breath full of impatience on her cheek, as he kissed her more vigorously, his mind was full of fiery sensation. She felt him finger the buttons on her robe, as he pulled her up, and he leant on a tree as she saddled his hips. She brushed his hair back with passion as he kissed her neck, brushing his hand past her bum softly. Just as he reached to undo her bra, they heard a rustle of leaves, then sniggers, and then hurrying footsteps disappearing into the distance.

The couple looked at the trees trying to figure out who exactly was spying on them, but whoever it was, they were far away already, maybe telling their friends what they had just seen, maybe taking some hallucination precautions.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Friends or Fiends?

"No Hermione, no! There is absolutely no way that you can make it up to us ever I mean –"

"Us? Leave me out of it," said Harry darkly.

"YOU! Very well," continued Ron, a maniacal expression now coming upon his eyes, and a flush creeping up to his cheeks, "So many years we have fought against him, so many times he's abused, let us down, so many snide remarks, bad looks, times he's gotten us into trouble, and now… THIS?" He stamped his cup of orange juice on the photo, spilling half the amount on it. Now Draco's face was covered in blotches, and it looked like he and Hermione were attending some party down at the beach, and water had splashed in his face, definitely did it not look like the original: him and her making out in the forest.

"Listen Ron! I didn't mean for any of this to happen! I know how much trouble Malfoy's cost us, just… it sometimes works out this way… people come together… you won't understand, it has never happened to you. " Now Hermione was blushing, she sat down and tried to start on her food as though this matter was over. Ron however didn't think so.

"Nope Hermione. It's YOU who doesn't understand. And that's what you've been doing our whole friendship: _not understanding!_" and with those words, he stomped out of the Great Hall.

"Hermione, it _is _you who doesn't understand," Harry confessed to her, then flailed and crept down into his chair under the look she gave him, his body automatically set to reflex "go into hiding".

"So _you _are in this AS WELL!" She shot him a look that clearly stated "traitor".

"No, it's not that, you don't understand," Harry tried to explain.

"I UNDERSTAND THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND!" then realizing what she just said, added, "will you get on with it then?"

"Yes, see it's hard to explain…" Harry trailed off, gesturing to try to convey the meaning of his unspoken words. "It seems like me, you and Ron have been friends for ever," he started his story, "and I mean for you at least, it has always been that way, friendship. But for Ron…" Hermione sat there with a confused look upon her face,

"I don't understand," she confessed.

"Yea, that's what Ron meant. Hermione you will if you just look over your whole relationship with Ron, believe me, you will get it. Now sorry, I have to go to Divination and you better hurry up as well, I'm sure you don't want to be late for Arithmetics. Bye," he hastily got up from the table and hurried out through the door.

Hermione left soon as well but she didn't go to her class. Instead she went out into the grounds and decided to go and spend her lonely life, without friends and without anyone who could understand her, alone. She sat on a garden bench and set her mind on finding out what exactly Ron and Harry meant.

'_Was there a long forgotten quarrel? Was it a lie? No, it's just stupid Ron. He's just jealous that I finally have a date and that Draco cares for me. Oh that Draco, I knew there was good in him. He's so sweet, so…so…'_ Just then she heard a snigger in the trees and someone's sharp voice cut through the cold, fresh morning air. She listened closer and the group of people seemed to moving towards the path where she was sitting. Hermione decided to keep sitting there to see who it was, but the couple (or whoever it was) seemed to stop where they were.

"I'm telling you, she fell for it like a little child. You were _great_! I never knew you were _so so so _brave! I mean you having to kiss her and all, I'd die, the ugly mudblood," Pansy shrieked.

"Well, yes, ahem…" muttered Draco. Somewhere next to him Crabbe and Goyle demonstrated their ogre talents by grunting at the same time.

"Ha, we owe you," said Goyle.

"Yea, I'd never think you could seduce her," grinned Crabbe.

"That was one sweet dare!" Grunted Goyle.

"Yea, Granger! To think of it, perfect student, little mudblood and being seduced by Malfoy himself! Too bad for her it was just a dare, right Draco?" Giggled Pansy nervously.

"Yea…Just a dare," Malfoy agreed. '_It was just a dare… right?' _He thought to himself.

"But that was cool! I mean how you got someone to take the photo and all. You really didn't need to do that, we would have believed you anyway Draco," Pansy assured him.

'_Wait, so it wasn't them taking the photo? This is strange…' _Draco thought, confused.

Hermione gulped back her tears and ran from the path. Right at this moment, Draco and his crowd of followers emerged from the bushes. Realizing what just had happened, he called her back, but she wasn't listening.

"Ha, that little mudblood, this is the perfect closing to the whole thing!" Shrieked Pansy in excitement.

"Close your foul mouth, and leave her alone Parkinson," Spat Malfoy. Then he turned away from her and started walking towards the woods, to think alone, where no stupid Pansy could bother him.

Pansy and Draco's cronies stared at his retreating back in awe and disbelief.

Later that night…

The Forbidden Forest was dark and only a little light shone through the trees. But even a little moonlight was enough to make his silvery blond hair gleam.

"Good evening father," he said coldly.

"Good day Draco," he replied, not a bit warmer than his son greeted him. After a short silence Draco dared to ask,

"Do you have a specific purpose for being here, or can I go back to the castle?"

"I have a purpose, a _very _important purpose!" He assured his son, "Draco tell me, did you enjoy our previous encounter?"

"Yes father, seeing you is a great pleasure always," he lied.

"Well then, what may I ask is this?" He proceeded in his drawling monotone pulling the now famous photograph out of a pocket in his robe. "Well, I'm waiting for an explanation!" He added after a few seconds of silence. Draco looked petrified; it was bad enough for his school to know about it, now his father was probably going to kill him.

"I…uh…" he tried to say something, scared his father would be even madder if he kept silent.

"WHAT IS THIS I ASK YOU!" Lucius roared. "After our previous meeting, I thought I made my opinion clear. Or was it not clear enough for you? Do you need some parts restated?"

"Well, no… no," Draco mumbled.

"I thought I told you quite clearly, I never, NEVER, want you near a mudblood! Do you even understand the disgrace you are bringing to the family? Obviously not. I sent a couple of my helpers to track you down and see what you were doing. I knew what you were doing, every single minute of the day. And then, after so many days of progress, what do I see! YOU and a MUDBLOOD, in the forest! YOU, wasting yourself on her!" He looked expectantly at Draco.

"Oh…well…" Draco suddenly realized that he didn't have an explanation, that he didn't want to explain himself. He did exactly what he wanted to, and if that meant showing in whatsoever way that he loved this…this mudblood, then so it is. "So what," he suddenly found himself saying, "So what if I kissed Hermione–"

"So what? SO WHAT!" Lucius cut him off. "You DARE to ask me about it? No Draco, you are a disgrace to this family, an outcast, an exile! You shall never be a real Malfoy, as long as I live on this earth, you shall not return to this family!"

"Well good, because you know what, I don't want to! I… I HATE YOU!" He spat and scared, started running towards the castle.

After a couple of meters, he felt being dragged back by an immense force. Looking back with much difficulty, he saw his father's wand erupting with a huge line of sparks, connecting him to it. He was thrown into the air, and Lucius' face transformed to sport a crazy, maniacal smile. With a flick of the wand, Draco was send plummeting towards a huge tree, and as he slammed with all his force into it he became unconscious. The last thing he remembered was lights flickering and a female voice screaming in the distance…


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hermione was in the hospital wing again. Dumbledore seemed to be blind to what was happening, though it seemed that the whole school knew. He still insisted that Hermione should once again help Madame Pomfrey with curing her popular patient – Malfoy.

'_Again. Again, again, again I'm put down. How can I stand to sit and tend to my enemy? To the one who betrayed me, who tricked and played me? I thought it was for real. But now, I realize that this is just like the beginning, we just can't stand each other. Then what was with that night?' _

Just then, the blond stirred and mumbled something, then turned over and fell asleep again. She examined his bruises again, and though the minor ones where on his front, his back was severely damaged. Several bones were broken and there were long scratches and marks running up his spine. She wondered what had happened to him, yet again.

'_He probably got hurt doing another **dare **for his great friends,' _she thought in dismay. Her bushy hair swayed over his body as she worked hard to stop the pain of her greatest enemy. Draco's eyes flickered and then opened so suddenly that Hermione jumped back in surprise. He looked terrible; his eyes were red-rimmed and drooping slightly, a long scar was stretching across his cheek and he kept mumbling things between his phrases.

"Lavender! Lavender, tell her!" He exclaimed irritably. He was obviously taking Hermione for someone else. Hermione stared at him, not knowing exactly how to handle this situation. She hadn't covered hallucinations in class yet, and though she read things about them in muggle books, the wizard cure for them was still unknown to her.

"Tell the mudblood, she shouldn't be crying, tell her she's stupid for believing… believing everything. I did it because I wanted to. Yes, don't doubt it, GO DO IT!" Hermione continued to not believe what she was hearing, mudblood? Could that, could that possibly be her?

"Now go! Or I'll curse you. Go Lavender, you stupid Gryffindor!" Hermione decided to obey and quickly ran out. From there, her only course would be to Dumbledore's office, Madame Pomfrey was away.

She approached the office, just as Professor Trelawney had filed out and as she decided to swiftly pass her into the doorway, the woman peered at her through her spectacles and mumbled something indistinguishable. Hermione decided not to take notice.

Racing up the stairs, she realized that she had never been in the Headmaster's office before, slightly nervous and sweating she knocked on the door.

"Enter, coward but beware of dancing lemons," said a slightly muffled voice. Hermione knew Professor Dumbledore all too well to take any notice. As she entered she saw the teacher standing besides Fawkes' cage and tending to the bird with little nuts and dried fruits. Then he took a prune, bit into it and his face broke into a smile.

"The art of a dried fruit can never be appreciated fully," he gleamed.

'_Maybe it's the old age," _thought Hermione slyly.

"Hermione! Good to see you! What cometh thou here for my dearest?" He exclaimed as though noticing the slightly trembling girl for the first time.

"Umm… well you asked me to take care of Malfoy, and to call you if I need anything. Well I think there's something seriously wrong with him. He's hallucinating…" she mumbled embarrassedly, "he… thought I was Lavender Brown, and to get out, otherwise he's curse me…" She had turned a deep red color at these words.

Dumbledore's face suddenly grew very serious.

"What about his cuts? Did you heal them?" He asked with concern.

"Some I could, but mostly they just open up again. I don't know what to do."

"I'm going to the hospital wing. Lead the way Miss Granger," he said rather grimly. Hermione started walking towards the door, and as she turned around she saw Dumbledore take the object that she slightly suspected was a pensieve and wrap it in his cloak.

The hospital wing shone with daylight; however one corner of the room remained dark. The shutters were closed and the blinds were pulled shut over the bed of Draco Malfoy. When the headmaster entered, Malfoy have an involuntary shudder and turned if it was possible, even paler.

Professor Dumbledore's eyebrows sank with concern, his deep wrinkles formed an upside-down V on his forehead. He mumbled something to himself and then proceeded to sit on the chair next to the bed. Hermione hurriedly followed.

The headmaster pulled out the basin, took a deep breath and applied his own wand to Malfoy's head. A silvery web-like strand started slowly pulling out of the Slytherin's white hair. Soon the basic was brimming with silver-like substance and the professor ceased his activity. Instead he prodded the contents with his wand and carefully gazed into the midst of it all.

"Are you ready miss Granger?" he asked seriously.

"Yes, professor," answered Hermione, with no idea of what she was agreeing to.

Dumbledore took her hand and soon she felt being tilted head forwards into the basin. They plunged into it, and soon, she was engulfed in the darkness of the Forbidden Forest.

When they finally returned to the hospital wing, Hermione was shaking.

"Well that certainly clears things up…yes, that's true… however the Ministry…abuse, yes…" Dumbledore was rapidly muttering something to himself, not even acknowledging Hermione's presence. She decided not to disturb him.

Instead she leaned over Malfoy to resume her post of healing him. She rolled up the sleeves of his robes and a gasp escaped her. A fully inked Dark Mark was etched into his skin. As she touched it, Malfoy shuddered and a pain shot through Hermione. She withdrew her hand quickly. She looked back at Dumbledore, only to see that the man was lost in thought and didn't seem to know she was there. She returned her gaze to the mark and curiously peered at it, and then at Malfoy's suffering face disbelievingly. When she once again looked at the mark, the curiously seemed to find that a part of it had been erased. Just a tiny line, but as time passed – she seemed to find that some lines were erasing and disappearing.

"P…Professor?" She called Dumbledore unsurely and not daring to lift her gaze of the mark.

"Professor!" She tapped him on the shoulder for he was not answering.

"Yes, yes miss Granger," he looked where she was looking, and as Hermione pointed to the disappearing lines, Dumbledore slowly nodded his head.

"Yes, I thought that was going to happen. See miss Granger, I believe that the Dark Lord is rejecting him for he was brought the news that Draco…ahem…associated, with a muggle."

Hermione blushed a deep crimson and these words. Just then, Draco started mumbling something and turning in jagged movements as though in great pain.

"All we can do for now, is give him a sleeping draught," Dumbledore said simply at the pleading look Hermione gave him. "I will tell Madame Pomfrey to brew him a draught, and please don't leave his side incase his status worsens. Call Fawkes in case of an emergency."

The girl simply nodded sadly to the Headmasters retreating back.

She looked at the blonde carefully and an immense feeling of sorrow and pity came upon her. He was unstill and turning in quite the same way as before, and his skin was as pale as pale gets. His silvery hair was stuck unevenly across his sweating face and his eyes, though closed, were obviously not calm.

Hermione brushed back his hair, noticing a wound that she neglected and smothered it in the healing substance she made while still tending to him the first time he was here. So close to him, she could smell the distinct smell of blood mixed with dirt and a piercing smell of fresh cologne that didn't wear off yet.

And then she just couldn't resist the temptation –

Her soft lips touched his cold ones, and her eyes fluttered shut…

He tricked her, he betrayed her…

And now she was kissing her enemy.

Where was there justice in this world?

It was lost, erasing itself just as the Dark Mark did.

She wasn't thinking about justice at the time,

She was going with her instincts.

And for once they proved to be right.

As she withdrew, she saw his face was not as pale, however lets not forget – this _is _still Draco Malfoy. He stopped turning and lay still, and for once seemed calm and at ease.

And then she knew she had to leave him. To let him sleep, even if he did so for ever. She didn't know what she felt towards him right there and then, she only knew that she couldn't feel it any longer because her heart would break and shatter and she wouldn't find the pieces ever ever again.

And so she said goodbye to Draco Malfoy for the last time.

And so I tell myself...  
Never again will I cry.  
You were once everything to me,  
That I can't deny.

But I couldn't keep my promise  
And broke out in tears.  
The hours I've cried feel like days,  
The days feel like years.

As I bury my face in the pillow,  
And cry my heart out and grieve,   
I've learned to never give away love  
If love I don't receive.


End file.
